Home Health Inhaling GAS could protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to ‘exciting’ new finding

Inhaling GAS could protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to ‘exciting’ new finding

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Inhaling a gas used by fitness fanatics to improve performance could be a new way to combat Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests.

Inhaling a gas sometimes used to improve sports performance could be a new way to combat Alzheimer’s disease, according to the results of an “exciting” US study.

Scientists found that inhaling xenon improved brain health and improved problem-solving skills, which could help combat the currently incurable disease.

Xenon is an extremely expensive, odorless and colorless gas. It is typically used as a rocket propellant or an anesthetic and is also touted as a potential tool to help mountaineers scale Everest.

In the new study, conducted by researchers at Mass General Brigham and the University of Washington School of Medicine in the United States, researchers sought to explore its potential as a treatment for Alzheimer’s.

The scientists, who initially conducted the tests on mice, say the results are so promising that they plan to begin a human trial in the coming months.

Lead author Dr. Oleg Butovsky, an expert in neurological diseases at the Brigham, said: “It’s a very novel discovery that shows that simply inhaling an inert gas can have such a profound neuroprotective effect.”

«One of the main limitations in the field of research and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is that it is extremely difficult to design drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier, but xenon gas can.

“We look forward to seeing this new approach tested in humans.”

Inhaling a gas used by fitness fanatics to improve performance could be a new way to combat Alzheimer’s disease, an “exciting” US study suggests.

In multiple experiments, mice were given a dose of 30 percent xenon gas once a week and their behavior was monitored in the following weeks and their brains were examined at the end of the study.

A separate group of mice was also given normal air in each test to act as a control.

The scientists found that mice given xenon reduced inflammation in their brains, improved their overall brain health, were better at tasks such as nest building, and also had a stronger response from immune cells in the organ linked to better cognition.

These results suggest that the gas could constitute a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

Xenon gas has previously been used in medicine as an anesthetic and as a way to protect the brain while treating injuries to the organ.

Its chemical structure allows it to easily cross the blood-brain barrier, an internal system designed to protect the brain, but which can also make it difficult for medications to reach the organ.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, a memory-robbing disorder that blights the lives of almost a million Britons.

It is unknown what causes Alzheimer’s to develop, but it is characterized by the toxic buildup of proteins in the brain called tau and amyloid that alter the function of brain cells and ultimately lead to death.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss.

The researchers said an interesting aspect of their study was how they found that xenon had a protective effect in two groups of mice used in the experiment, one with amyloid buildup in the brain and the other with tau buildup.

They are now planning a human clinical trial to be conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

The early stages of the trial seek to establish aspects such as how safe it is and at what dosage, while the research team also continues to explore the exact mechanisms of how xenon gas appears to work in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Fellow author Dr. Howard Weiner, also of the Brigham, said that, if all goes well, there is a possibility that xenon gas could also be used for a number of other diseases that affect the brain, such as multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the nerves begin to function poorly.

“It could open the door to new treatments to help patients with neurological diseases,” he said.

The results of the study have been published in the journal Scientific translational medicine.

The team also stated that they are investigating technologies to potentially recycle xenon gas.

Xenon gas has become prohibitively expensive in recent years.

It is currently believed that around 900,000 Britons suffer from this memory-robbing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 percent increase from the previous forecast in 2017.

It is currently believed that around 900,000 Britons suffer from this memory-robbing disorder. But scientists at University College London estimate this figure will rise to 1.7 million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 percent increase from the previous forecast in 2017.

Prices have risen especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was the world’s largest producer of noble gases.

A recent analysis by the Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the total annual cost of dementia in the UK is £42 billion a year, with families hardest hit.

An aging population means these costs – which include lost income from unpaid carers – will soar to £90 billion over the next 15 years.

Around 944,000 people in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while in the US the figure is around 7 million.

Alzheimer’s affects approximately six in 10 people with dementia.

Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties, and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.

A separate analysis by Alzheimer’s Research UK found that 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared to 69,178 the previous year, making it the biggest cause of death in the country.

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